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Braves’ return to contention may not be far off
- Updated: December 26, 2016
ATLANTA — Two years removed from the painful portion of the rebuild which forced them to bid adieu to fan favorites like Jason Heyward and Craig Kimbrel, the Braves appear to be completing the process sooner than expected.
While the Braves always contended they could put a winning product on the field by the time they entered SunTrust Park in 2017, the feasibility did not come into focus until recently, when they won 20 of this past season’s final 30 games and then upgraded their rotation with three veterans — Bartolo Colon, R.A. Dickey and Jaime Garcia.
As recently as the end of July and maybe even throughout most of August, it seemed unrealistic to think the Braves might be capable of producing a winning record and possibly competing for a playoff spot next season. But these five developments from this past season helped alter some thoughts and enhance the optimism the club will carry as it approaches a new year:
1. Freeman catches fire, cements place as franchise’s cornerstone
Concerns about Freddie Freeman’s wrist lingered as he hit .248 with a .778 OPS through his first 63 games, but as the 27-year-old first baseman batted .338 with 24 homers and a 1.095 OPS over the next 95 games, he established his place amongst the game’s top players and gave the Braves comfort as they prepare to pay him $106.5 million over the next five seasons.
Freeman’s surge began as he hit for the cycle June 15, a night during which the Braves overcame a two-run, 13th-inning deficit against the Reds to claim the first of 50 wins over their final 97 games. They had entered the game on pace to record 45 wins, which would have put them in the dubious company of the 2003 Tigers and 1962 Mets.
Despite his slow start, Freeman finished the …
